


Bite the hand that beats you

by 420_im_lonely



Series: MCYT trauma stuff [7]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: A tiny minuscule amount of fluff, Abduction, And eye, Angst, Doc loses his arm, Electrocution, Gen, Human Experimentation, Hybrids, Let Beef say fuck, M/M, Okay ending tho, POOR DOC, Pain, Yikes, animal experimentation, eh Bdubs is fine, everyone is suffering but in a cool edgy kinda way, forced transformation, ouch for beef tho, poor etho, uhhh, yeah theres a bit of swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:40:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28971471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/420_im_lonely/pseuds/420_im_lonely
Summary: Continuation of a Doc angst shot I did for my trauma booklet!Doc was a creeper, he had a wonderful home and a close clan, he lived near a huge redstone base. It was his curiosity that got the best of him, he wandered out in the sunlight, shoud have stayed in the night.They took him, snatched him up as he walked in the pasture. They kept him locked away, hurting him, changing him, experimenting. Everything he loved, was gone.
Relationships: Doc/BDubs, Etho/Daniel M. | VintageBeef, It’s not overly shippy, Mostly implied, ish - Relationship
Series: MCYT trauma stuff [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190951
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Bite the hand that beats you

Sunlight. Horribly bright, it was strange to him, he had rarely been in it before, only in patches of it from the forest. Ans now, he was completely surrounded with it. He was out in the open. That was his mistake. 

That was the last thing Doc remembered of his home. It was far gone now. He was young in human years then, only 2 winters, but he was over 24 moon phases then. He should have known better. He wanted to go home so badly, but he couldnt, he was trapped, and there would be nothing left there anyway. 

____

Now he was different, he had been changed. He didnt know what his phases were now, but he was near 25 winters, creepers rarely live past 6.

Doc hissed as the iron bar door slid open. He was so tired, he couldn’t explode if he wanted too. There was heavy stomping and a rough hand pulled Doc out of his small cage. He growled as he hit the floor. The guard scoffed and kicked at him.

“Get up, there work to do creeper.” Doc struggled to right himself. His arm hurt like hell. It was definitely broken, or fractured at least. He stumbled along the hall, the guard shoving him when ever he slowed down.

He squinted as he walked down the halls, one of his eyes was severely damaged, but he knew the halls by heart anyway. He walked silently past the endless identical doors. He knew what was behind them. An yet he walked knowingly to one. The gruad was impatient. He shoved Doc into the room. There where 7 people inside and one other subject.

It was a smaller person. White hair and pale, a long open wound going over one of its eyes. Its arms were chained behind and there was a heavy metal collar tethering it to the wall.

Two of the people....were definitely not scientists. One was absolutely huge, he kneeled by the white haired subject, gently cleaning the open wound, there was one of the shock bands around his neck and thinner cuffs. The other was much smaller, adorned with the same band and cuffs. He stood to the side of the scientist, not daring to look at them. It was obvious he was terrified.

The scientist in charge, Dr. Ferguson, grabbed Doc roughly. He dragged Doc back to the wall and the small not-scientist hurried to chain him up. The smaller shook as he worked with the heavy chains. Doc was stared at him.

“sorry.” The smaller whispered so incredibly soft Doc would have missed it. There was a loud smack and the smaller fell off to the side. He twisted as tried to back away from Ferguson.

“No talking to the experiments.”

“yessir.”

The smaller was near tears as he clipped and locked the collar. He slid back to the other person, definitely trying to hide behind him.

“Well then. Let’s get started?” There was a pinch in his neck and Doc could feel the sedative sliding in his veins, everything faded.

—

When he woke up. He was in a cage. It was larger that his normal cage. The white haired subject was curled in the corner. He could vaguely see a pair of white catlike ears pinned back in its hair and a small fox tail? Its legs were curled up, the seemed awfully cat like, the strange bends and structure.

Doc tried to sit up but he was suddenly very aware of his body. He was taller. Bigger, a lot bigger. He wasnt the normal creeper size anymore. He was huge. His scales were just...gone. He had rough green patterned skin instead. He could feel his growing scales just under his new skin. He still couldnt see out of one eye, and his right arm was basically useless.

On the other side of the room, the two people sat. They were talking quietly.

“Xisuma should be here soon, he said hes bringing the PVP hermits, a few hours at most.” Doc stared at the small object in the huge ones hand. It was a communicator, obviously he had stored somehow. If Doc could get that... he might be able to hack the codes if he could connect it to the bulidings mainframe.

“Youre awake! Are you okay?” The smaller ran to the cage side, dropping harshly to his knees in front of the cage door.

Doc backed away slightly, a loud hiss filled the room as he stared at the person.

“Sorry! I didnt mean to scare you! I’m Bdubs, thats Beef,” Bdubs gestured to the man behind him, “Uh, sorry i um, are you sentient?”

Doc growled lowly, “yeah.” Bdubs jumped slightly at the creeper voice.

“O-okay, uh are you hurt?” Bdubs shifted closer, he was resting his hands on the bars, a bit to close for comfort for Doc.

“Not that i can tell.” Doc shifted further back, he glanced over to the other subject in the cage. “How long was i out?”

“Few hours, not sure, we’ve been in here for at least 9 hours.” The big one, Beef, stood up, he glanced out of the small window and stared down the hallway. “How many of you are there?”

“What?”

“Experiments.” Doc flinched slightly.

“Hundreds, i not sure, there’s only a few human spliced ones though.”

Beef nodded, “How many, do you know where they are?”

“Kept in the western hall, only 7, counting me.”

“Great, we’ll get them too. Can you tell us more?”

Doc was still on high alert, but he had nothing to lose from telling them. He might even be saved.

“Jevin, hes a slime splice, in a tank. Cleo, zombie, she’s in a high risk cage. Grian, avian, as far as i know hes always in an immobilization cage. Tango, nether demon, i think hes in a normal cage, just restrained. Ren, werewolf, normal cage.” Doc watched them carefully. “There’s 3 guards constantly, they change every 6 hours. They have guns and tasers.”

Beef nodded. He typed on his communicator. “Xisuma said hes on his way, hes got nearly everyone.”

Bdubs ran back to beef and looked with wide eyes at the communicator. “That’s great!”

The subject next to Doc shifted. Beef and Bdubs snapped around.

“Etho!” Beef kneeled by the cage, reaching in between the bars. ‘Etho’ rasied his head and pulled himself to the bars. “Etho? Are you okay?”

Etho growled lowly and crawled up to the bars, reaching forward for Beef. He growled in a strangled way, as if he was trying to speak but couldnt. His ears were pinned back, tiny tail tucked away. Doc could see soft fur at the edges of his face and down his neck.

Beef pulled at the bars, the metal creaked and groaned but refused to move. He put his shoulder to the bars and pushed. There was a definite crack and a surge of electricity threw Beef back. Bdubs ran over to him, there were tiny electrical burns over his shoulder and neck.

“Beef?” It was garbled and scratchy. Etho looked at the two, terrified.

“‘M fine.” Beef stayed on the ground, he tried to stand up but fell back.

Doc glanced between the two, he slowly reached out and grabbed the bars. There was a tiny shock but that was it. He glanced at Etho. The white haired male seemed to get the idea, he dragged himself forward and began to wiggle through the broken bars. It was a tight fit, and Doc wasnt sure if Etho could use his back legs, he just let them drag limply.

When Etho made it through, Doc tried, he had a bit more of an advantage with 3 useable limbs, but he still struggled. He wasnt used to the harsh difference of the size of himself. He was able to wriggle out of the cage with minimal pain.

Etho leaned on Beef, the taller held him like a lifeline. Doc stood up on shaky legs, he rested against the wall and looked out the small glass window.

“Comms busted.” Bdubs sat next to the other two and was messing with the device.

“Let me see it.” Doc shoved himself off the wall, Bdubs stood up quickly to steady him, he was very shaky. Doc turned over the communicator, he popped the back panel off and tried to asses the damage to the circuits. He knew a bit of tech stuff, for trying to distract himself by memorizing the wire patterns on the various lab equipment. When he was young, his clan lived close to a giant base, it was filled with redstone. Its owner was kind, he’d leave apples out for the creepers as long as they stayed out of his circuits, Doc himself had been ushered out of the complex and confusing work several times.

The owner had a son too, he was the one giving them apples. His name was Mumbo? He used to draw redstone ideas and Doc would always watch over his shoulder. That didnt matter now. He began to work with the wires, flicking them around to make temporary connection. He fiddled for a few minutes before the screen powered up.

“Its gonna be finicky but you should be able to send messages.”

Bdubs nodded as took the communicator. He glanced at it and smiled at Doc. The four sat in silence as they waited for any messages to come.

—

Doc had fallen asleep, he was shaken awake by Bdubs. There was a district smell of smoke in the air.

“Xisuma is here, lead us to the other human ones.”

Doc nodded, he stood up shakily. Beef was carrying Etho and there was someone in the door, he was taller, with Bee style amour. Doc was instant wary of him.

“Its fine, thats Xisuma, hes gonna save everyone.” Doc nodded again, he pushed past the man and started down the halls, he knew the way to the west wing by heart.

As he walked, the others followed, and more people joined them. There were so many, the walked with anger, bodies of scientists laid in labs as they passed.

The east wing was decimated. No living scientists. Doc told them to open all the cages, let the creatures free.

—

The door was blocked, the last few scientists and guards had holed up in the west wing. They stood at the door.

Beef had tried to kick it in but to no avail. They didnt have TNT, Doc knew what he had to do, he couldnt leave Ren and jevin and the others could he?

“Stand back,”

“Doc?” Bdubs grabbed his working arm, “What are you gonna do?”

“What i can.” The hermits backed up and Doc tried to reach out for his only natural defense. He leaned against the door and hissed softly, closing his eyes, he let himself go.

—

Bdubs flinched as the door blasted, if he had know thats what Doc was going to do... he would have stopped him. They all coughed as the smoke filled the hallway. Bdubs inched forward as it began to clear, he wouldnt let Doc die for nothing would he? No he had to-

There was some one on the ground. They looked hurt, badly.

It was Doc.

He didnt completely detonate?

Bdubs kneeled. His right arm was... gone. It was an open wound covering part of his chest too. Bdubs carefully picked him up as Xisuma and Keralis lead the way in. Hypno and Xb held back, watching from behind and holding Etho.

There was yelling and the sounds of fighting, within a few seconds, it was silent again. He heard Xisuma.

“I’m going to open a portal, open the cages.” Beef appeared in the doorway, Looking for Bdubs and Etho.

“Lets go.”

Hypno and Xb headed to him, Bdubs sat with the half dead creeper. “Beef? He’s alive, can we take him?”

“Yeah, but we gotta go fast.”

Bdubs went as fast as he could, he carried Doc but it was difficult, the creeper was so much taller than him. Beef was beside him with Etho. They passed in the portal together. Xisuma was behind them.

They both collapsed as they passed through the portal. They were exhausted, Etho wasnt even awake, he had passed out before Xisuma even arrived.

The portal had dropped them in the shopping district. Infront of the steps of the town hall. Stress and Scar were next to them immediately, they had medical supplies. Bdubs just laid on the ground as Stress began to work on Docs open wound. Scar was using his crystals to try and help Etho. The smaller was still out of it.

“hey bud, just relax, its gonna be fine.” Bdubs looked up to see TFC, he smiled at the younger, “They will all be fine.” Bdubs nodded as he looked around. Mumbo was holding a small avian, Grain? Grian? There was a slime person, Jevin, sitting with Cub, Iskall was cleaning a deep slice on a long haired guy, he had a tail too, must be that Ren guy. Joe was trying his best to help Cleo, it was obvious he didnt know what to do. Impluse was holding a nether demon as Zedaph tried his best to to painlessly remove the metal spikes from its skin.

TFC handed him a health potion, “We didnt plan on picking up this many, ill have to go get more potions from Stresses shop.”

“On the house love!” Bdubs almost laughed as he heard Stresses remark. He was so tired.

—

When Beef woke up, the first thing he saw was Etho. His partner was curled up next to Beef, trying to bury himself in Beefs side. Beef just looked at him and his heart broke. Ethos back legs were unusable, he couldnt walk anymore, they were thin and delicate, taking strange bends just like any dogs leg would. He had a fox tail now, sure it was soft but it something it there, something Etho didnt want yet was givin. And his little fox ears. He kept them pinned back. It was heart breaking. He turned carefully so he wouldnt wake Etho up. Holding him close, Beef looked around the room. Jevin was on a bed, he was asleep. Cleo leaned about the wall, Ren laid over the end of her bed, she absentmindedly petted his hair. Tango was in a nest for a lack of better words, he had blankets thrown over him and a sleeping Zedaph was draped over the side.

Bdubs, where was Bdubs. Beef found his answer. In the far corner, Bdubs was asleep in a quickly thrown together armchair, he was next to...Doc. The creeper was not looking good. There were bandages all over his torso and over one side of his face.

He could see Iskall and Mumbo on the other side of the room, talking in hushed ones about some bionic relplacement? For someone? Beef couldnt hear well, but he did see the definitive shape of wings hanging off either side of Mumbo. Grian was asleep in his lap, the taller was mindlessly petting the large wings. Nice to know those two were getting along.

He looked back at Etho, the smaller still cured up. He didnt want to wake him, so he decided on going back to sleep.

—

When Doc woke up he felt wrong. Everything felt wrong. Like life had moved 2 inches to the left bu he was in same spot. Like there was an imbalance.

He sat up slowly, looking around the room. Empty beds. There was no one in the room. Some one had dressed him in different clothes. A white t shirt and a pair of joggers that were slightly to short. He shook his head and stood up, the room was deathly quiet, the only sound was the light clicking of his claws against the floor. He padded to a window where setting sunlight streamed in. It was only when he passed the glass window that he realized. He had a metal arm? What happened to his- oh. He blinked a few times. There was metal plating over half of his face too, well, in his face? It seemed to be connected to his skull. Where his eye used to be, there was a closed shutter? Like a camera shutter or something.

He shook it off and opened the door at the side of the room. Outside there were, people, a lot of people. He saw Jevin and Cleo, Ren and Tango. They were all taking with people he vaguely recognized. And Grian! The bird menace was being held by a very tall mustached man. The caramel wings were loosely wrapped around the pair.

“Doc! Youre awake!” It was Bdubs, the shorter ran up to him.

He looked around the room, taking in the faces of everyone there.

“Ill introduce you! We dont want any of our new members not knowing any names!” Bdubs tugged him around the room. For the next few hours, he learned a lot about where he was, who the people were and that he was invited to live here, an offer he took in an instant. Maybe it was because he felt safe with them, maybe it was because he recognized the red stoners son, maybe it was he had no where else to go. Maybe it was everyone else was staying. But it was definitely because they treated him like he was a person, because they helped him. Because Bdubs was so happy to see him every time he looked round the room.

____

Etho tried his best to get back into the swing of things, he really did. But with his legs, he couldn't work on his base or deliver glass, he couldn't do anything! Most days he just slept in the sun at Beefs base. 

No one really knew what was wrong, Iskall offered to take a look but Etho wasnt so keen on having anyone around him with a scalpel. He could drag himself around but that was difficult and it hurt. So he was stuck. 

"Boats! Boats! I'm a fool." He wiggled (for lack of a better word other than slithered) over to Beefs storage and grabbed some wood and few tools. 

After an hour or so, Etho and bulit a small boat on wheels, he would be able to move around freely now, although steps would be a problem. 

He clambered in and got himself settled. Hed could go see people now! He could go bother X or Stress! Maybe hed go check up on the new hermits? Yeah! Hes go visit Doc! Bdubs had taken him in hadn't he? 

Without much thought, Etho began his travels to Bdubs base, the ride took extremely long, but that was what he expected, the nether was the fastest way and he was still slow. He shot off a quick private message to Bdubs went he got close.

Etho dropped through the portal of Bdubs base, he finally open his communicator to see Beef spaming the chat. 

[Beef: I'm actually panicking guys has anyone seen him]

[Beef: hes just dissapeared]

[False: probably not the best thing to say but he cant have gone far?] 

[Beef: skxjahajakakb I'm looking but hes gone istg] 

[Etho: I'm fine, I'm at Bdubs base] 

[Beef: HOW DID TOU GET THERE?] 

[Etho: magic and spite] 

He slipped the comm back into his pocket and began to look around Bdubs base. He spotted the chaotic man quickly. 

"Hey Etho!"

“Bdubs! Thank god, beef is the only person ive seen for 5 days i a think i might have been going insane.” 

“Cant have that now! Oh! Wanna come see what Docs been working on? He’s been doing redstone stuff and im just lost completely.” Bdubs turned to the castle up the mountain, “Uh do you want me to carry you? Boats and mountains don’t exactly mix.” 

“It would be faster.” Bdubs hoisted Etho up, supporting the surprisingly light man with only one arm. Etho kicked lightly at Bdubs when he accidentally pulled his tail. 

“You moved your leg.” 

“Huh.” With a bit more force, Etho kicked Bdubs in the shin, “So i did.”

“We should show Beef! He’ll-“

“Nope,” Etho kicked him a few more times, “You mentioned redstone, lets go.” 

Bdubs headed up to the castle, idly talking with Etho as he went, it was good that etho could move his legs, he had motor control, it was just that they were so weak.

The brunette shoved the door open and headed to one of the large rooms just off the main ballroom. Doc sat on the floor, redstone components spread out around him, a few note blocks ticking as he tinkered with the wiring. The machine was huge, reaching each wall, mass of complexity. 

Doc snapped around as the door clicked against the wall. The creepers natural eye was dark and seemed devoid of anything, it was a stark difference for the smile he had on his face at seeing Bdubs and Etho. 

“What is this?”

“A hello is also nice, its a mainframe for wireless mechanics so connnect and function from, like drones. I’ll be able to monitor my bots from a distance.” 

Etho wiggled out of Bdubs hold and situate himslef next to doc on the floor, the creeper was using insanely precise redstone, thin wires and sensors. The main frame itself looked mostly complete and Doc seemed to be wiring a drone into it, connecting the wire to and using a signal boost to bring it online. 

“This is amazing.” 

“I know, once I finish the drones i can map out their patrols.”

“patrols?”

“Better safe than sorry.” Doc glanced at Etho, as if challenging him to say hermitcraft was 100% safe. The Fox just shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.  
“Also i had an idea for you.” Doc got up and grabbed a bag from the side of the room, he kneeled next to Etho and began to fit a metal brace over the joints in his legs. 

“What’s this?” 

“Reinforcements.” He clipped them all together and added the metal bars at the side to help keep the legs steady. Carefully he pulled Etho up to his feet, the smaller wobbled and Doc handed him a staff to balance with.

“Now i can kick Bdubs more!” Etho managed to patter a few feet before he slipped and splatted onto the floor. 

Bdubs laughed so hard he doubled over, but Etho had more determination what he thought. There was a few seconds of just Bdubs laughing and the sound of metal on a stone floor, and then quick pitter pattering of Etho awkwardly charging Bdubs. 

The builder ran as fast as he could from the evily giggling hitman. 

“Etho wait a second,” Doc stopped the hyper little fox bastard, the creeper shifted two of the bars and gave the knee joint more freedom, “try leaning forward and using your hands to run.” 

Etho nodded and took off, he was a bit wobbly at first but quickly got the hang of it. Still struggling to jump, but mostly fine. Bdubs however, only found refuge ontop of the shelves in the main hall. The fox man sat himself down at the bottom of the shelf and started innocently up at Bdubs, waiting for the brunette to make the mistake of leaving his safe spot.

[Bdubs: BEEF COME GET ETHO]  
[Bdubs: HES FERAL]

[Beef: ??? ]

[Bdubs: I AM IN FEAR]  
[Bdubs: SAVE ME] 

[Cleo: well then...]

[Stress: i think he’ll be fine] 

[Beef: ill be there soon]

[Bdubs: HURRY] 

[Etho: hes over reacting]

Bdubs looked at Etho. 

[Bdubs: I swear I’m not, plz save me, i fear for my shins] 

[Beef: okay, I’m almost there] 

Bdubs looked at Etho, “if i give you something, promise not to knee cap me?”

“Sure.” 

Bdubs nodded and began to climb down as Doc laughed from the door way. 

“What are you laughing about?” Doc continued to laugh as Beef walked into the hall, raising an eyebrow at Bdubs inching away from where Etho contently sitting on the floor. 

“Etho had his fingers crossed.”

“What?” 

Etho was standing now, legs awkwardly splayed and crouched slightly. He giggled and took off, using his hands to shove himself from the stair railing, Bdubs screamed as all he saw was a feral Etho flying at him. 

—

Beef shivered as the lightening crackled in the sky, a slight tremor ran through his arms and the electric scars over his shoulders ached. He shuttered and dropped the ceramic mug, it shattered on the floor, coffee splattering over the glazed tiles. 

There was the quick pitter patter and faint clicking to tell Beef that Etho was wobbling down the hall. The smaller poked his head in the door way, worry on his face.

“Are you okay?” 

“Uh, yeah, I-I’m fine.” Still Beefs hands shook as he tried to pick up the pieces of the mug. Faintly he felt hands on his back. 

“Beef, youre not fine.”

Etho sat on the floor next, still unable to bend his knees, and began to pick up the pieces of the mug. 

Beefs hands shook as another bolt of lightning made the room flash, he dropped what few pieces he had picked up. 

“Fuck.” Beef rubbed his face as the thunder boomed. He felt Ethos hands, on his arms, his shoulders, pulling him up and guiding him from the kitchen. Etho guided him to sit down on the couch and tossed a blanket over him. He flicked on the TV and pulled the curtains closed, something to distract Beef. 

The fox was gone for a few minutes but he soon returned, two mugs of coco in hand and a bag of caramel popcorn under his arm. He set them down on the table, sitting down next to Beef. 

“Wanna watch something?”

“Sure.”

“okay,” etho clicked through the remote, pulling up some shows, “Merlin? Ripper Street? Over the Garden wall? Hilda?” 

“Hilda, lets watch Hilda.” 

Etho nodded, playing the show. Beef moved them both on the couch, laying on his stomach, head resting on Ethos chest and arms wrapped around his waist. 

Lightning glared around te room again and Beef tightened his hold on Etho, eyes tightly closed. etho ran. His fingers through Beefs hair, whispering sweet reassurances to him. 

Eventually the stormed died down, but they stayed on the couch, the mutual feeling of not wanting to leave overshadowing the feeling of needing to get work done. 

—

Time seemed to pass slowly, they recovered, but they recovered no the less. Jevin showed his true talent as a builder, Ren was the most lovable idiot on the planet, Cleo was a bit dark but her armor stand art work was amazing, Tango was chaotic and a genius, Grian was... well he was something, he thrived of chaos and was the well known, and well adored menace of the server. 

They would be fine, and no one would doubt that, not with the glaring eyes of Xiusma staring them down if they dared insult his server.

**Author's Note:**

> Not edited, just so you know


End file.
